Please, Please, I Promise To Be Good

As I was trying to say last week, I had a memory pop into my mind as fast and as real as being hit by a line drive foul ball at a MLB game. I was attending a private school in Virginia during my second grade and every now and then a parent would bring someone in my class their lunch that they had either forgotten at home or to celebrate some special occasion. The latter was almost always a meal from McDonald's. I remembered that I thought it was so cool that someone could eat a burger and fries from McDonald's during school. I remembered pleading with my dad to bring me lunch from McDonald's during school someday. And I can still remember my dad walking into my class with *my* special lunch from McDonald's.

After that memory came another of a restaurant I remembered going to when we lived in Virginia and never saw again when we moved. It was a place called Gino's. I could remember how the place looked and even some of the small toys they gave to kids with their meals. I found a tribute site to Gino's that has pictures and such here. I just wish they had more stuff circa 1972. Then I thought about Shakey's Pizza and birthday parties and...well that's another story.

Daughtry

Daughtry (sort of) rocks.

Oh, So That's the Reason

I've always wondered why the drive-up ATMs have Braille on them. Now I feel much safer driving around town.

Q: Why Is There Braille On Drive-Through ATMs?

We have been looking into the reason for why there is Braille on drive-up ATMs. After scratching our heads for a little while, we decided that the best place to search would be in the Americans with Disabilities Act , or ADA. In section 4.34.4 of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities -- Appendix to Part 1191, 36 CFR Chapter XI, issued pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 -- it says, "Instructions and all information for use (of an automated teller machine) shall be made accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision impairments."

So that takes care of most ATMs, but what about the drive-through? While most bankers thought drive-through machines would be exempt from the ruling, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board disagreed, reasoning that ATMs without Braille "would not allow the (blind) individual to use the ATM independently." Some argue that any blind person could use the drive-through machines while riding as a passenger and then have the driver help enter information. Again, this goes against the ADA’s code requiring “independently usable” ATMs for those without sight.

Chlamydoselachus anguineus

I was going to post an entry regarding a memory that came to me yesterday but I forgot what it was. No, not really. I just thought this entry would be a lot cooler and my memory could wait until tomorrow.




Anyway, it seems a very rare species of shark was captured on film by staff of a Japanese marine park. The captured five foot long Frilled shark, which has changed very little since prehistoric times and usually lives 2,000 feet below the sea, was seen swimming in shallow water and moved to a pool at the park. Unfortunately it died a short time later. You can read the article and view the video and pictures here. Looks almost like something out of a SF or Horror movie. Fascinating.

Phobia

Breaking Benjamin rocks!

Well, Well, Well

I'll be a monkey's uncle. It snowed last night. We woke up to about three inches of snow this morning. Some school districts canceled classes and some opened late due to the temperature staying below freezing during most of the morning. Of course it all melted away by noon but it sure was pretty while it lasted.

I Should Have Been...

A Meteorologist. Then I could get paid for guessing what the weather is going to be like. And I would have been right on the money the past couple of days. Some of you out there may see some ice and snow and some of you may not. But it will be cold and then warm up a little before tumbling down to cold again. You may see more sun than clouds depending on where you are. But this will all clear up soon and temperatures will be back to normal. Just remember to bundle up and layer your clothing. I could have been a contender.

Is It or Isn't It?

When will the freezing rain/sleet/snow begin? The weather people here have been instilling fear in everyone who watches their newscasts about the severe winter storm that is supposed to be upon us right now. Schools and County offices didn't open today based upon the forecast. It has been raining since yesterday evening but that's about it. Not that I don't doubt the accuracy of the forecast but I am anxious to see three to five inches of snow on the ground. I'm in this snowman building mood. I'll be very disappointed if it doesn't snow after all this.

Surprised Again

Well, not really. Lindsay Lohan checked into rehab yesterday. OMG! Did she have some kind of addiction? Oh, that's right. She was attending AA meetings but I thought everything was fine. Guess not. Read the entire article here.

Surprised

Took The Little One to the pediatrician today for her immunizations this morning. The doctor also wanted to do a blood count and lead screening so they had to draw blood, too. I was really dreading hearing her cry but she was cool as a cucumber. Not a wimper as they poked her arm to draw the blood nor did she flinch when she got the shots in her leg. Actually, when they stuck the needle in her vein she turned her head to see what had happened and was transfixed on the vial filling with her blood. I think she was more relaxed than me. Now if only my other daughter were the same when it comes to shots I'd be a happy guy!

Heartless?

Actually, contrary to popular belief, I *do* have a heart as this screen shot of my echocardiogram sort of shows. My wife was pleasantly surprised. :-)

They Were Doing Their Job

A little history in a nutshell first. Two Border Patrol agents encounter a drug smuggler along the Rio Grande river and shoot him as he is running back into Mexico. They then pick up their shell casings and do not report the shooting to their supervisor. The smuggler survived being hit by a bullet and ends up being a witness in the trial against the two agents. They are found guilty in a jury trial of "violating the civil rights of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila by shooting him, then tampering with evidence by picking up shell casings from the shooting" and sentenced to prison. They are to report to prison by Wednesday.

I've been reading a lot of articles regarding vigils and petitions for clemency for the two ex-agents and have had some problems with the ideas presented in them. I don't doubt that these two individuals served their country by protecting its border or that their job was difficult. I also don't doubt that the smuggler was committing a crime. I don't believe this case has anything to do with current immigration issues. I do think that the only reason politicians are getting involved is to gain publicity and to roll with the momentum created by current immigration issues.

The bottom line here is that they broke the law and committed a crime. And then tried to cover it up. In my opinion they should be held to a higher standard because they worked in law enforcement. If the average Joe did the same thing there would be no demonstrations for leniency and absolutely no question of guilt. They shouldn't be pardoned because they were just doing their job or because the victim was an illegal immigrant or drug smuggler. Again, they broke the law and should have to be accountable for their actions.

You can read a current article here or what the Canada Free Press has to say here.

Terrorists Beware

I am totally pumped for this Sundays premier of 24. Can't wait to see how Jack will end up saving the country this time. I guess in honor of this fast-paced action show, McFarlane toys will be releasing a line of 24 action figures. The full story can be had here. Wow, now I can put Jack on the shelf and have the talking Jesus doll minister to him. Or maybe not. Uh oh, I guess I'll have to start watching Heroes on the computer.

For The Earth Breathes No More

It's humanity's last breath. Literally. In a post apocalyptic world, a family of four and their dog struggle to survive the after effects of the devastating consequences of global warming and ensuing civil strife. Food and water are scarce, no comforts of the 21st century, roaming gangs of murderous marauders, and an invisible but deadly phenomenon survivors call "voids"...pockets of the atmosphere at ground level which contain no oxygen and seemingly moves on its own...hunting. And they're getting bigger. Any thing unlucky enough to stumble into a "void" quickly suffocates and dies. Can the world heal itself and mankind rebuild from this horrible situation?

Movie trailer? Synopsis for a book? No, the description is from the dream I had last night. Weird stuff.

Is It Safe?

Saw this little article on a news feed. Very scary, indeed. Isn't Jennifer Lopez filming a movie about the city of Juarez and disappearing women?

There were 243 homicide victims in 220 incidents, including 49 cartel-style executions, in Juárez Mexico, in 2006, Juárez police said.

Police said homicides were down compared with 2005, but did not have 2005 figures available.

Police said that in 2006, 153 of the 220 incidents involved deaths by gunshot wounds, 33 involved deaths caused by beating, 22 involved stabbing deaths and 12 involved deaths caused by other means. Police also attributed 23 homicides to street gangs and said 49 were executions, probably by drug cartel members. At least 14 victims were minors and 22 were women. There were 14 homicides in the city of El Paso Texas and seven in El Paso County in 2006.

Craving

I don't know why but I've been craving Chinese food for about 2 weeks now. I went out to lunch today with a sales rep and funny that he should suggest Chinese. We ended up at a restaurant called Mayflower and I have to say that the food there was outstanding. And my opinion isn't biased because I was craving it. I'm a picky eater and I take my food seriously, folks. Now how about some sushi?

Bravo...Forte

It's about time someone came up with a solution to the information that displays for digital recordings of classical music on your MP3 player. A new standard announced today would help organize and display correct information for classical music on your portable audio player.

Essentially, the new approach offers a standardized way of cramming the additional relevant data in classical music — such as composer, ensemble, movement number or soloist — into the three-line display.

One resulting "track" would appear like this:

"Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Op. 8/1, `Spring' — 1. Allegro"

Meanwhile, the "artist" line for the same track would cite both the star violinist and his conductor on the recording:

"Joseph Silverstein, Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra"

I am really picky about what and the accuracy of the displays for each song. And I get annoyed when the information is wrong for my particular recording. Hopefully, this will help. You can read the entire article here.

Is It Getting Hot In Here?

Scientists are predicting that 2007 will be the hottest year on record due to El Nino and carbon emissions. Really depressing and scary news when you think that if all the industrialized countries would just apply a fraction of their resources to combat greenhouse gases now, then this world catastrophe could be minimized a little. It's also depressing that the United States rejected the Kyoto Protocol thereby influencing other countries but that's politics. Read the entire article here.

On another note, NASA and the JPL are holding the Cassini Photo Contest II to mark the second anniversary of the Huygens Probe descent. You can vote for your favorite Cassini spacecraft photo and the most popular will be announced in February. You can also read about the liquid lakes on Titan here. Cool.

The Amazing Robertson

Apparently, God has been talking to Pat Robertson again. He said on Tuesday that God told him that the United States would suffer a terrorist attack late in 2007 and would affect millions of people. This isn't the first time Robertson claims that God has given him some inside information although these moments of prophecy have been hit and miss the past few years. Why can't God tell him how to make world peace a reality? Read the full story here.

First Gripe of 2007

I was reading a newspaper article regarding the results of increased police presence on the roads during the New Year long weekend. Apparently the local police and sheriff's departments saw no traffic fatalities and very few DUI arrests. All in all a busy but safe holiday weekend. It seems that the local policing agencies always step-up enforcement around the holidays. I think they should do it more often and not just on holidays since there are intoxicated drivers on the roadways every day.

Something else that bothers me is that the local newspaper and newsrooms always announces law enforcement's locations and days of compliance checkpoints or what traffic violation they are on the lookout for during monthly stepped-up enforcement. Hello? If you don't have vehicle insurance then avoid Main Street next Monday between 7 PM and 10 PM. Geez, let's just start informing the violent felons when and where their warrants are going to be served, too.

Well, enough griping for this post. In other news it snowed here yesterday. Came down fairly heavy but the ground just wasn't cold enough. It did accumulate on rooftops, yard, and fields, though. Probably around a quarter of an inch. As the temperature dropped the snow on the roadways eventually turned into slush and then into ice overnight. I hope, and my kids hope, that we get a lot more snow this winter. We'll see.

Happy New Year

Well, it's in with the new and out with the old. Hello 2007. It doesn't seem like the world has changed much since last year. Still policing in Iraq, violent felonies are still being committed, still can't solve Rubik's Cube. But I'm still looking forward to another year with endless possibilities. Perhaps this is the year I'll win the Lottery. Or maybe there will finally be world peace. My cat might even come home. So many possibilities to consider that by the time you think of all of them, it will be time to welcome the next New Year. Anyway, hope everyone has a safe and prosperous 2007.

To Explore Strange New Worlds

Scientists will now be able to seek out planets that are similar to Earth outside of our solar system thanks to the just launched Corot space telescope. They will be looking for "small rocky planets" that may have water on it under the right circumstances. Very cool. Read the complete story here.

I Can See the Light

I forgot to mention that at The Little One's birthday party, a friend of ours broke a major rule of gift giving. They gave her a puppy. At first I thought it was just a stuffed animal because it was sleeping but upon further examination I realized it was real. Ugh. I'm a firm believer that giving an animal away to someone as a gift without checking with them first is a big faux pas. This rule runs right up there at the top along with 'Never date a girl who's father calls her Princess.' Anyway, lucky for me that we had a birthday party to go to the next day and we regifted the puppy.

I am just about done shopping for Christmas. Every year I say I'm going to finish earlier but it never seems to work out that way. I think it's the same story for the thousands of other shoppers out in the stores today. I absolutely will not go to the stores this weekend, though. Much too much pressure and stress. Along with that goes this thought that I've been mulling around in my head. I can't decide what's worse; the commercialization of Christmas or organized religions' insistence that Christmas is too commercialized. I guess that could be discussed at another time, besides I've got to figure out if the Nativity Scene in the front yard is shorting out Santa and the reindeers on the roof. Oh, and I was just kidding about regifting the puppy. The thought did cross my mind but I quickly disregarded it.

Wow

It was an exciting weekend for the family. Friday night around 9 PM, The Little One fell down while playing with her sister. I went to her and picked her up and turned her towards me and that's when I saw all the blood running down her face. I quickly went to the other room and got some paper towels and about this time my wife sees all the blood. Her sister was with her so we all piled into the SUV and rushed to the hospital. About a minute after we started driving, The Little One stopped crying and was just talking away. She really likes to go for rides.

We got to the Emergency Room and she had the wound cleaned and x-rayed. The doctor didn't see anything major but had to put 3 stitches to close the cut on her forehead. When they gave her the anesthetic instead of a scream and crying, only a loud "ouch" came from The Little One. She gets to go back in a week to get the stitches taken out.

Also, the next day was her birthday party. You can see the bandage on her forehead in all the birthday pictures. Oh well, it will be something for her to laugh about when she's older. Man, splitting her head open and stitches before she's two years old. At least she was calmer than I was.

Thought For Today

Conspiracy or Fate?

We could argue the "decisions" or whether there were five or five hundred of them but it all boils down to one thing: a tragic loss. Read Christopher Dickey's commentary Five Fatal Decisions.

Whatever You Do, Don't Look Down

The glass walkway being built by the Hualapai Tribe at their Grand Canyon West destination is slated to be completed and opened to the public on March 28 2007. The Skywalk will extend 70 feet from the canyon wall and 4000 feet above the canyon floor. I don't usually have a problem with heights but walking out onto a glass walkway with a 4000 foot drop below might be a problem. I was going to have a link to the site but it seems to have suddenly gone down. Maybe I'll be able to do it later.

Look, It's Over There

There is something very wrong with this and I'm not being discriminatory towards the blind:

AUSTIN - A state lawmaker wants to make sure no Texan is left out when it comes to hunting, even if the hunter is legally blind. Rep. Edmund Kuempel, a Seguin Republican, has filed a bill for the 2007 legislative session that would allow legally blind hunters to use a laser sight, or lighted pointing instrument. The devices are forbidden for sighted hunters.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," Kuempel said.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which regulates hunting in Texas, currently does not have a definition of what constitutes a legally blind hunter. Kuempel's bill would give the agency until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition so that the law could be enforced. The hunter would have to carry proof that he or she is legally blind.

Ha Ha

Take this short Quiz.

Arrrg

Spent over 1 hour and a half sitting in the pediatrician's waiting room this afternoon. After the wait, we were in and out in 10 minutes. Diagnosis: common cold. Rx: Prescription cough medicine. It's a wonder The Little One didn't catch anything else from being around all those other sick children. I guess the good thing is that in my opinion, all the children manifested the same symptoms. Cough, cough, sniffle, sneeze.

Testers and Testees

So the USCIS is testing new questions for a revised citizenship exam. Now I'm not complaining but I've looked at the proposed new questions and wonder how many Americans can answer these questions. I only ask that because we've all heard about those supposed questionnaires given to college bound seniors by teachers or news reporters containing basic questions on U.S. history and such and most can't answer any of them. See all the questions here.

Snow!

It was snowing last night. No accumulation to mention but it was a nice sight. We still have a lot of time to do better.

Winter Is Coming

The weather outside is frightful. The wind is starting to pick up and there's a chill in the air. I guess the wintry weather is nearly upon us. The lows tonight are forecasted to be in the low 30s, tomorrow's high only in the mid 40s and tomorrow night's low in the low 20s. Yes! I can finally use a real jacket for once. There's also a very, very, slight chance of some precipitation meaning we might see some flurries overnight into tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath, though. I like this time of year. Really, I do.

An Interactive Tour

Of the Eagle Nebula courtesy of the Hubble telescope site.

This Could Happen

But how do you really prove that you had nothing to do with it? What can you really do if the store or police don't believe you?

ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri couple said that when they opened the box for their new camcorder, they found something they hadn't pictured -- a jar of pasta sauce where their camera should have been. Jim Rittenberg, of Perryville, Mo., bought a $1,600 camcorder at a Best Buy store in the St. Louis suburb of Ellisville last week. Inside the Sony box, he said he found a jar of Classico pasta sauce, a telephone cord and an outlet cover where the electronics were supposed to be. So far, the Rittenbergs are stuck without a camcorder. Ellisville police are investigating. Best Buy manager Wade Trapp said that the store is working to resolve the matter.

I have nightmares of similar circumstances...I come home from the grocery store and open the 12-pack of beer and a couple of bottles are empty.

Service With A Smile

I must give my "thumbs up" to FlatSigned Rare Books, which specializes in rare, antique, or hard to find books as well as publishing exclusive signed limited editions, for their customer service attitude. Way back in 2002 I bought To Kill A Mockingbird signed by Harper Lee. When I received the book I noticed that there were some dirt marks or something similar on the edges of the book. I contacted the owner, Tim Miller, and explained the problem. He told me to return the book and he would get me another one and would refund the shipping on my next order. I received the replacement book and it is now in my library. Unfortunately, I have not been able to buy (afford) another book from them until a couple of days ago.

So this morning I called Tim Miller and explained the circumstances from my previous purchase over four years ago and asked if he would knock off the shipping charges for this book. I really didn't expect him to do it but without hesitation he said that that was not a problem. Wow, if only I could get service like that at Walmart or Target or McDonald's. But seriously, if you or someone you know is looking for that special or hard to find book, I confidently recommend that you check out FlatSigned Rare Books first.

Free Money

Well, not really. Technically it's money that I've already spent but for some reason or another it needs to be returned to me. But in my mind, since I had no clue that it was owed to me, it doesn't exist. Hence, it's free money or found money to me. It all started this morning when I was reading the news and came across an article about Texas' unclaimed property website. Just type in your name to see if anyone has reported to the state any unclaimed funds. I tried my full name first, then variations of it, and came up with an exact match. It wasn't a jackpot but $35 is still better than nothing. For grins I tried some friends' names and lo and behold I found one that is owed some money from one of the apartments she used to live in. So if you live in the great state of Texas, go here to check if you're owed any money. There's also a link there that points to searches for other states. Cha-ching!

Kramer's A Kook Part 2

Well, it seems Michael Richards has hired Rubenstein Associates to do a little crisis management for him. Let's see if they can untarnish his reputation and rescue him from his meltdown. Full story here.

Kramer's A Kook

I can't believe what Michael Richards, a.k.a. Kramer from Seinfeld, did last week during a stand-up routine. I had heard about it, but didn't give it much thought because I was sick until I saw the video clip on YouTube. He basically lost it and went out of control. It's really unbelievable and there's no excuse for it. I can sort of understand that out of anger, some people will say the things that they know will hurt the other person, and wouldn't normally say those things at all under ordinary circumstances. But control was something that went out the window for Michael Richards last week. I think he's going to have to do a little more than say he's sorry on Letterman.

It Figures Part 2

I can't believe I missed 8 Films To Die For. Oh, that's right, I was sick. The site is still running with video but I don't know for how much longer.

It Figures

So I took three days of vacation last week and was sick during two of those days. That just aggravates the hell out of me. Most everything I had planned to do ended up not being accomplished. Got a lot of T.V. time in, though. Rachael Ray is just too damned perky.

Resemblance?

Comparison of one2believe's Messengers of Faith talking Jesus doll with Colin Farrell and Val Kilmer. You decide...

Start Planning A Head

It's just around the corner...Global Orgasm Day!!

Deal I Couldn't Pass

I was in Best Buy this weekend and for no particular reason was looking around in the computer area. I passed by the display of portable flash drives and stopped to look at them because I've always thought about getting one. I was looking at a Sandisk 1 GB model for $50 when I saw the Sandisk Cruzer Micro 2GB with a sale sign. It was regularly priced at $103 but it had an instant rebate of $59 making the price a mere $44. I just couldn't pass that deal up.

Important Note

Directly from my wife's cell phone instruction book:

If your phone becomes wet do not place in microwave oven to dry.

Duh.

What Are The Odds?

I have two computers at home and last week when I sat down at one I noticed it was off. This is unusual since my computers are always on. I turned it back on and started to do whatever it was I needed to do and it suddenly turned off right in the middle of things. This was about 10 minutes after I turned it on. I turned it on again and while it was booting I began checking the connections and such. That's when I noticed that the fan in the power supply was not working. After it was on for about 5 minutes this time it abruptly cut off. From that point it wouldn't turn on at all. Dead power supply I imagine from overheating. I'm a procrastinator so I just used the other computer and told myself I'd pull the power supply out later and change it.

So I sit down at the working computer yesterday evening and move the mouse to wake it up and nothing happens. I can see that the monitor is on although the light is amber signifying it isn't getting a signal. I move the mouse again because I'm still thinking that the computer is asleep and still nothing happens. I then try to reboot the computer and nothing happens. I check the connections and all that but still no working computer. I have to assume that this computer's power supply also burned up. What are the odds of this happening?

Now I've got to get two power supplies and replace them or I could once again procrastinate and pull out the laptop and connect it to the network instead. Hmmm, that would be a whole lot easier than pulling out two power supplies and running across town to CompUSA. I am *so* lazy. ;-)

Mentos Phenomenon Accident

Check this video out. I heard that the same thing happened to a small boy in Brazil after drinking a Coke and eating some Mentos candy. Poor kid.

Wow

I just had some fresh salsa during lunch. The salsa in a bottle can't compete against the freshly made stuff in my opinion. This was a bit on the hot side. I can't feel my mouth. I think I'm going to die. But it was really good.

A Noble Concern, He, He, He

Although I can't think of 101 things to do with Helium, I am concerned that at some point we may not have helium filled balloons anymore. Entire story here.

11/05/2006
Associated Press
The second-most abundant element in the universe is suddenly getting harder and harder to find. Party stores and florist shops grounded in the balloon business are caught in a helium shortage gripping suppliers across the country and in Texas, where one-third of the world's helium production is overseen.

Supply of the noble gas — second only to hydrogen in the universe but rare on Earth in terms of quantity — has depleted while production from two large international sites is temporarily down. Not helping matters is scheduled maintenance at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's National Helium Reserve complex in Amarillo, which will curtail production for 10 days starting Wednesday.

"We're so close to the edge now, and every molecule counts," said Leslie Theiss, manager of agency's field office in Amarillo. "We're walking the tightrope right now."

Businesses that depend on helium have met with shortages from suppliers. In downtown Houston, American Balloon and Novelty Co. owner Deborah Muse said there have been times when she couldn't get helium for weeks. Mike Havard, co-owner of Havard Welding in Galena Park, said he's kept his customers supplied but
acknowledged that demand is heavy.

"There is a shortage. There is some concern of allocation," said Havard.

Ow!

Why do I always manage to cut my tongue when eating a Tootsie Roll Pop? Not that I really care how many licks it takes to reach the Tootsie Roll center of the Tootsie Pop. There seems to always be a section of the candy that has a tiny, tiny crevice and the edges are very, very sharp. Almost like eating a piece of glass. Mmmm.

Poor Dilbert

Go North, um I Mean South

Even though I'm not a member, I watched a repeat of Nova yesterday on my local PBS station. It was called Magnetic Storm and dealt with the Earth's magnetic field and how it was gradually weakening. Basically the field is decreasing because either the Earth is about to lose it's field because the core is solidifying or the field is about to reverse itself. The first cause is hypothesized to be why Mars is a dead planet. The second is what most scientists believe is happening now to the Earth. I thought it was very interesting that the Earth has reversed its magnetic field hundreds of times in the past and that we are overdue for it happening again. It's a scary scenario and life would become more complicated than it is now. That would be for the people who don't die as a result of the reversal.

I Want That One...No, Maybe That One

Does anyone remember when Halloween costumes came in boxes? The top of the box had a clear plastic window so you could see the mask and the costume was folded underneath it. I miss that. Now you have to sort through the costumes that are hanging off of display walls and most of the time they fall off the racks and end up on the floor being trampled by everyone. I remember after my parents bought me a costume, I would hold the box in my hands staring at the mask while riding back home in the family car. Thinking about how scary I would be and all the treats I would get on Halloween night. Times have changed.

Ever Wonder...

Why the hell the 3 Musketeers candy bar was named such? Well you can find out here. Does anyone remember the commercials for the candy bar from back in the 70's? I can't so feel free to jog my memory. And when did Mars become Masterfoods? And how did they reduce the fat content by 45%?

Viva Garfield!

That's A Lot Of Gas

I saw a commercial last night about the major oil refinery in town. They said that they produce 2.5 million gallons of gasoline per day. If that's the case, then why isn't the gasoline sold at their branded stations at bargain prices? I understand the distribution channels and all that malarkey but is there some kind of law that prevents the refinery from setting up their own gas pumps and selling direct to the public? You know, cut out the middleman and pay less.

There Are Lots of Me

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2,385 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Now You See It, Now You Don't

So scientists have created a cloak of invisibility. Even though it only works with microwaves right now, they say "the chance of adapting the concept to visible light is good". Man, how cool is that? I came across this video clip of a Japanese experiment of the same kind of technology but this seems to have successfully applied the concept to visual light. I don't know if this is only a concept video of how such a cloak would work or if it is just a hoax. I have my doubts but I've said this before and I'll say it again...Those Japanese are clever people. Anyway, DM, Wendel the Dwarf is putting on his cloak of invisibility and entering the cavern with sword drawn while Clydophalese the thief keeps his eyes on the slumbering Orcs.

Tag, You're It!

When I was in elementary school, I remember playing tag and variants of the game like freeze tag. In all the years and numerous days of play I cannot recall getting hurt or any of my friends getting hurt while playing tag. In Physical Education class we used to play dodge ball as an organized class activity in the gym. Remember those red rubber balls that came in different sizes? When you got hit with one of the small ones in the leg, it would leave a nice outline of the ball on you and sting like hell. I remember lots of kids who got hurt playing that game.

I read yesterday that many school districts across the U.S. are banning tag playing. They are worried that students might get hurt and parents will sue the school. (These days, everyone is suing someone for something. I think it’s because there are too many lawyers). I guess schools have the freedom to ban any activities they think are dangerous but I think this is a little excessive. Recess and running around are part of school. Falling down and getting a scraped knee or elbow is part of growing up. If schools are afraid of personal injury claims then they should probably remove all the playground equipment too. So, in the end, there will be no more tag, red rover, flag football, swings, and seesaws, just to name a few. But at least we can sleep well at night knowing our kids are safe in the playground at school.

Another List

The top 10 best high school movies as ranked by Entertainment Weekly.

1. The Breakfast Club
2. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
3. Dazed and Confused
4. Rebel Without a Cause
5. Heathers
6. American Graffiti
7. Clueless
8. Boyz N the Hood
9. Election
10. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

You can see the complete list of the top 50 and the reasons why they made the list here.

Sad But True

It's official. At this moment in time, I'm worth more dead, than alive. Woo hoo!

Still...

Continues to keep my interest. Heroes, that is. I hope the show doesn't take a nose dive and disappoint me like some of the other new shows.

Just a Thought

I was waiting in line last night to get gasoline. Yes, waiting in line to purchase that liquid gold that makes my car run. It was posted $2.10 a gallon, which is the lowest I've seen in a very long time, so I waited. While waiting, I noticed that most of the cars and trucks were waiting in line for the pumps that could access the driver's side of the car to fill up. I was too. At least at this station, I know from experience that if I went to the opposite pump, I would not be able to get the hose around the car to get the nozzle into the tank. So here's my thought. Why can't the automobile manufacturers build their cars and trucks with access points for gas on both sides of the vehicle? That way it really wouldn't matter which pump you pull up to because you could fill up from either side of the vehicle. Sounds simple to me, but of course I'm not an engineer.

Exam

I had an appointment this morning at a clinic for my medical exam, which is needed to determine insurability for the life insurance company. It took about 20 minutes which included question and answer time, height and weight measurement, chest and waist measurement, blood pressure check, blood samples, and finally the good old urine sample. My main gripe of this entire process was why the hell was it so cold in that clinic? That and all the damn questions about my health and having to give blood/urine samples. I guess a man's word is no longer good for anything these days. Oh well. Hopefully the results will indicate a clean bill of health.

Hubble

Even though the Hubble telescope cost hundreds of millions of dollars and was broken when it was deployed into space (but later fixed), it has aided astronomers and scientists infinitely. And the layman or student can access the Hubble website and see the many discoveries and awesome pictures of far away galaxies. Very educational and interesting.

What? No, I'm Not!

You Are Scary

You even scare scary people sometimes!

How Scary Are You?

Semantic or Syntax

I'm writing this post in the late-morning. Or could this be considered early-afternoon? I wouldn't because to me, afternoon is just that...after 12 PM. But I know people who don't subscribe to that. And what exactly is mid-afternoon? Would that be noon or sometime around 3 PM? I consider early-evening to be around 6 or 7 PM. Others may not so all this could go out the window. Time is just so relative.

What's Up With That?

Yet another pattern of super cells and golf ball sized hail and tornado watches and warnings this afternoon and evening here. I still think global warming has a role in this weird weather pattern. I just finished watching Heroes and I have to ask why poor little Claire gets most of the unneeded blood and guts parts. But the ending in the morgue just cracked me up despite the scene.

For Sale : Possessed Car

Remember the movie Christine? You can buy her here for a mere $175,000. But wouldn't that be great? You get in a little fender-bender and the car actually repairs itself. It might also kill the other driver out of anger/jealousy/paranoia but that's what you get for buying it. Oops, I mean her. Nice Christine, good Christine. Hurry though, the auction ends on October 10.

Look And See

What The Grudge 2 movie site has for your entertainment.

I'm Getting A Headache

Calculating my life insurance needs and types is definitely confusing.

Ten Mad Elephants

Are here.

The Open Door

Evanescence rocks!

Definitive Proof

Ok, here's a picture of the Loch Ness Monster taken the other day. It clearly shows a fin from Nessie. This will surely put the "unbelievers" in their places. Um, what's that? Oh, this is actually a photo of a humpback whale taken off the Australian coast. Drat! Well, I still believe in Nessie.

Why...

Am I so obsessed with the Resident Evil franchise of video games? I think I'm hooked on the survival horror genre. Probably started with me playing id Software's DOOM although that really isn't considered survival horror. Anyway, I've been replaying RE Code Veronica X to try and finish it with an "A" rating (I told myself that I can't play the next game in the series until I unlock all the unlockables from the previous game). If I accomplish that, then I can restart the game and have an infinite Rocket Launcher as a weapon. There's a certain satisfaction that comes when you can blast a creature to bits with a rocket. So far, after 3 attempts with limited saves and decreasing total game times, I still haven't received the coveted "A" ranking. Well, I just found out how to do that. I can't save the game at all and I can't use first-aid sprays. Gosh, that kind of makes it difficult. Plus, I have to block off a few hours of time for game play. That's the nearly impossible task. Let's see what happens.

Loitering

I was in the local chain book store searching for a particular title and became irritated because I couldn't walk down the damn aisles. Why? Because people are camped out on the floor reading and drinking coffee. When I got home, I started thinking. Isn't that a form of shoplifting? They aren't buying anything and they could actually read the entire book depending on what time they came in and how many bathroom breaks they take. Oooo, what if they take the book with them into the bathroom? Alright, delete that thought.

The next time I'm wanting a book that I don't necessarily mean to add to my library, or I'm too cheap to pay for, I'm going to read it in the store. I'll go buy me a cup of java, grab the book, and stretch out on the floor. If I don't have too much time, I'll just dog ear the page and come back another day. How's that for being thrifty?

I Wonder...

Why the kid didn't feel it? Or hear it, for that matter? You know, little bug feet scraping against your ear canal.

SOMERSET, Wisc. -- Wisconsin doctors found the source of one high school football player's pain -- a beetle in his ear. The bug, the size of a dime, was found lodged inside Jake Asp's ear. The Somerset High School senior began complaining of headaches after a game last weekend. That's when doctors found the bug and surgically removed it. "It was pretty big," Asp said. "I'm surprised it got in my ear." Now the only thing bugging the star player is a few beetle-related jokes.

More Grey Hair

I love it when it's the end of the month plus the end of the quarter for this company. Lots of pressure, work and heart related, and I get to imitate a chicken with its head cut off. Fun. Yay work!

Bad People

DALLAS -- A Dallas driver knocked unconscious after a car crash woke up to find he had become a robbery victim. The man crashed early Saturday morning on the CF Hawn Freeway where it comes to a sharp curve and the speed limit drops to 20 mph.

The victim was barely conscious when the highway robbers hit. As the man waited for paramedics to arrive, a crowd of people picked his pockets and cleaned out his car, police said.

“To wake up from an accident and have been robbed, that's surreal,” victim Robert Malley said. Malley is recovering from bumps and bruises, and from the shock of what happened after he crashed his car.

“There were probably 15 to 20 people all around the car,” Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Brad Cox said. Dallas firefighters quickly realized that the crowd around the car wasn't there to help. “We pulled him out of the car, we noticed his pockets were folded out and we pretty much knew what happened,” Cox said.

“(The) pockets were totally pulled inside out -– I didn't have anything in them,” Malley said. Robert's wallet was gone and so were his keys, along with an iPod and a pair of shoes.

Interesting

Watched NBC's new series Heroes this evening. I'm not really into the graphic novels/comics genre so I wasn't really sure what to expect from the show. It kept my attention and I think I will watch it again. I could have done without the hand in the running in-sink garbage disposal, though. I thought the producers had already clearly established the fact that Claire had extraordinary powers and didn't need that. Yuck.

Brrrr

It's starting to cool down here. Woo hoo! Daytime highs forecasted in the mid to lower eighties and nighttime lows around sixty. It actually kind of feels like fall weather. I like cool weather. Now if only it would snow...

Yuck

Six Flags Great America is offering guests at their annual Fright Fest this year a quick way to the front of the line for some of their rides. So, if a ride has a one hour wait, some guests will be able to bypass the line and move right up front. The catch (there's always a catch) is, to be able to do that, you have to eat a live cockroach. The good thing is that roaches are "extremely low in fat and high in protein." Mmmmm, put me at the front of the line.

For Shame

Well, there aren't any T.M.X. Elmos left around town. All the major chains sold out yesterday. Even the internet vendors are sold out. I'm kicking myself because I could have ordered one on Amazon yesterday but didn't and now they're out. But I see lots of Elmos being sold on eBay. It kind of irritates me that people are taking advantage of a parent's love for their child and actually planned to buy up the Elmos to sell for a profit. Now why didn't I think of that?

Elmo's Tenth Anniversary

Wow. It's been ten years since the first Tickle Me Elmo was released and today is a really special day because the highly secret T.M.X. Elmo is now for sale ("X" for extreme/ten). Call me a bad parent but I didn't go wait in line in the wee hours of the morning waiting for the store to open and fight other parents for the last Elmo. Even though The Little One absolutely loves Elmo, I'll take my chances and go to the store this evening to try to find one or try the internet. So the adventure begins. I'm having thoughts of the movie Jingle All the Way and Arnold's fiasco looking for Turbo Man.

Mmmm, Beer

The 25 Best Beers in America as featured in the October issue of Men's Journal.

1 - Firestone Walker Pale Ale: Paso Robles, CA
2 - Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: Milton, DE
3 - Stoudt's Pils: Adamstown, PA
4 - Russian River Temptation Ale: Santa Rosa, CA
5 - Avery Mephistopheles' Stout: Boulder, CO
6 - Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale: Boonville, CA
7 - Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale: Cleveland, OH
8 - Full Sail Session Lager: Hood River, OR
9 - Rogue Brutal Bitter: Newport, OR
10 - Bell's Expedition Stout: Comstock, MI
11 - Southampton Double White: Southampton, NY
12 - Smuttynose Big A IPA: Portsmouth, NH
13 - Penn Weizen: Pittsburgh, PA
14 - Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale: Cleveland, OH
15 - Ommegang Hennepin: Cooperstown, NY
16 - Samuel Adams Black Lager: Boston, MA
17 - Sprecher Hefe Weiss: Milwaukee, WI
18 - Alaskan Amber: Juneau, AK
19 - Deschutes Broken Top Bock: Bend, OR
20 - Lost Abbey Avant Garde: San Marcos, CA
21 - Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière: Dexter, MI
22 - Victory St. Victorious Doppelbock: Downington, PA
23 - Allagash Interlude: Portland, ME
24 - Alesmith Speedway Stout: San Diego, CA
25 - New Glarus Yokel: New Glarus, WI

Memories

My short term memory is going and it's going fast. I don't have a clue as to what I was going to blog about. Oh well, that's life.

Lazy

I am feeling so lazy. Have been for the past couple of days. Haven't been blogging or reading or anything really productive. Well, let me leave you with something that was told to me many years ago..."If you do something three times in a row, it becomes a habit."

Humps

This is an overhead picture of a caravan of camels taken by George Steinmetz for National Geographic. What's visually stunning about this photograph is that the camels are the small white and brown objects and the black that you see are actually the shadows cast by the camels. When you enlarge the photograph and look closely, this becomes apparent. Cool.

Shaking My Head

What more can Wal-Mart do to stir things up in the "controversy" pot?

Wal-Mart partners with the NGLCC

You Put What Where?

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) -- Cellular telephones were found inside four prisoners in El Salvador's maximum-security prison, authorities said Wednesday.

The discovery was made Tuesday at the prison in Zacatecoluca, in central El Salvador, after suspicious officials took X-rays of each of the inmates, federal corrections chief Jaime Villanova said. The names of the prisoners, all members of the dangerous Mara Salvatrucha gang, were not released in order to avoid jeopardizing an ongoing investigation that began a month ago, he said.

Capt. Juan Ramon Arevalo, director of the prison known as Zacatras, said the gang members had introduced the cell phones, wrapped in plastic bags, into their bodies through their anuses. Authorities also found nine cell phone chips and one charger. "Each one had a cellular with a number of chips," Arevalo said, adding that one also had hidden a charger in his anal cavity.

The inmates allegedly used cell phones to direct criminal activities on the street from inside the prison, Arevalo said. The smuggled phones were found during an investigation at prisons throughout the country amid complaints from business owners of extortion by gang members. Prisoners change phone chips frequently to avoid being traced, Arevalo said.

The police have doubled their security levels to combat the criminals.

They're All Jackasses

I cannot believe that Jackass: The Movie made enough money to allow these idiots to make another movie. Just saw a preview on the television for Jackass: Number Two and it's a safe bet that those who liked the first will probably like the second. Call me an old stick-in-the-mud but I guess I just don't have the same sense of humor as the makers of the films so I just find them unpleasant.

Do You Remember...

The Starlight Vocal Band and their hit song Afternoon Delight? For some awful reason or other, that song keeps running through my head this morning. At work. Agggg!

Creepy

I just saw a Discover Card commercial featuring hundreds, no thousands, of scissors marching down the streets of a city. People didn't seem afraid and instead starting throwing their non-Discover credit cards at the scissors which promptly cut them in half. There's something about this commercial that frightens me. I can't put a finger on it but maybe it has something to do with a rule I was told to obey when I was younger. That rule was "Don't run with scissors." I don't know about you but if I were sitting at a cafe drinking a cappuccino and saw a multitude of scissors coming down the street, I would freak. Yes, definitely.

Tea Time

بعد انقلاب أنصاره عليه.. بلير يتنحى خلال عام
أعلن رئيس الوزراء البريطاني توني بلير، الذي يواجه معارضة متزايدة من البريطانيين وحتى من داخل قاعدته في حزب العمال، أنه سيتنحى عن السلطة خلال عام. التفاصيل...

Double Take

Hmmm, I think Ben Affleck and Adam Sandler are the same person. Probably the result of some alien genetics experiment gone wrong or a government conspiracy. Personally, I think you could interchange either one in the other's movie and end up with the same result.

Again

Here

Crikey!

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, was killed today while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He apparently swam too close to a stingray which impaled him with it's barbed tail and punctured his heart. He died soon afterwards. My kids are going to be very sad because they enjoyed his shows very much. I enjoyed his shows, too. He brought my family and myself many hours of entertainment and excitement. We will miss him and his escapades with nature.

Wet Sunday

It's raining. Surprise, surprise. It really hasn't stopped raining since Friday night. Parts of town are flooding again and residents are trying to clean up again. The forecast calls for more rain tonight and tomorrow as well. Well, let it rain because I have to work tomorrow.

Wet Saturday

It's raining. Again. It started late last night and hasn't stopped. At least it's not raining very hard. Only a light drizzle with occasional harder moments. Hopefully it will stay that way and end soon. The ground around town is so saturated that it cannot absorb any more water. It just leads to more flooding.

Amar Es Combatir

Maná does it again.